The barrier around Cacretale, which had prevented any contact in the past few months, had been lifted.
Earth may be there.
That Jamdi’el may have something to do with it.
Just thinking about it, how many times I had considered forcefully breaking the barrier.
But I wasn’t allowed to do that, and for the last three months all Mamu and I could do was pray.
But those days are finally…
“As I have mentioned before, in order to reach Cacretale, you must negotiate for entry through the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bethreal. There is also a pre-application inspection which will include the purpose of travel, the number of people entering the country, the size of the ship to be anchored, the duration of stay, and even restrictions on weapons and magic.”
“Rumor has it that the civil war has been intense in recent years, so the immigration process may have to be very strict. Along with that, you will also have to pay an entry fee to Cacretale and even an intermediary fee to the Kingdom of Bethreal.”
“Furthermore, if you wish to go to Cacretale by sea, you must notify the Navy Admiral of the ‘Kingdom of Zengeva’, which claims the waters in that area as its territorial waters.”
“It’s grave, Lord Hiro! The Kingdom of Betrayal applied for entry to Cacretale immediately after the boundary fell, but it seems that the contact point has changed due to the victory of the opposition, and it seems that they are currently trying to communicate with the new contact point, but they can’t seem to make contact at all… something may have happened!”
We couldn’t just fly in, ignoring the procedure, even though our beloved son might be there.
“We can’t get you into Cacretale!”
I fell down with my head in my hands at the sound of that voice.
Cacretale, a secluded nation that has been out of contact for the past three months.
However, the Empire, which is also a member of the Union, is strictly prohibited from interfering with or landing on Cacretale without permission.
I couldn’t do anything about it, but it was only the other day that the barrier finally came down.
I had been preparing for the application procedure for the last three months, so I thought it would go through right away, but in the end it doesn’t look like that will happen anytime soon.
In addition……
“Lord Hiro, we’ve got trouble! The princess we brought back to the Imperial City… Rebal… Fu … and the daughter of the Paiper family, the Ninja Warrior of Japone… the five of them disappeared. According to the report, there is an operational method of Space Transfer Magic in Fu Meday’s room… possibly mastered in the last three months…”
It seems while we adults were idly lounging around, the next generation quickly moved by skipping the bothersome stuff.
I was dazzled by it and felt sorry for myself.
“Well… this is the only way to go.”
“Really. It’s been a long time since we’ve gone on a date. On the ocean, on a boat, just flirting.”
“Then we drifted off and got lost. What a mess.”
“Ah, do I see an island over there? Are we saved?
“Ooh, that’s right. We’re gonna make it. Let’s go for the time being.”
If the barrier was down, this is the only option.
Mamu and I rowed a small boat from a spot far from Cacretale and arrived by chance, like castaways.
Of course, this was kept secret from the Union, Old man Mikado, and the Imperial City.
Of course, it’s our responsibility. Well, if anything happens to us, we’ll probably be fired…
“Hmm… when I was a kid… I was annoyed by the rules that adults decided and bound, so I always lost my temper and broke those rules. I remember Old man Mikado would get mad at me every time I did that.”
“That’s right. At that time, I thought that if I quickly grew up and became a big shot, then I could do anything I wanted…”
“Ah! I can’t do anything now… what am I doing … really.”
As we rowed the small boat, I lamented our own pettiness with Mamu.
It took us this long just to go to our missing son.
“It’s all my fault.”
“No, it’s mine.”
“No, it’s my fault! I’ve been neglecting him all this time.
“And so did I! In the first place… I should have just quit my job and been a mother… not push everything to Sadiz…”
‘You weren’t in a position to quit easily either. It can’t be helped. I’m still the father and it’s my responsibility.”
How many times have we had this exchange in the last three months?
We’re both blaming ourselves, and repeating things that don’t make any sense.
“But after all it’s me, I… if I had caught him in Cantidan! If only I had noticed Jamdi’el’s approach!”
“Erm……well…that is.”
“…… huh?”
“No, it’s just, that woman is basically a mass of madness full of disastrous air and you didn’t notice she was approaching until the last minute…”
“Hey! I, if you’re going to say that, then why did you go out of the Imperial City with your head held high, saying, ‘No matter what, I’ll find Earth!’ only to leave the Imperial City, and go to Inai City, in a completely different direction?”
“Ugh…… that’s…”
Well, in other words, no matter how many times we’ve talked over the past three months, all we’ve been able to say to each other is that we’re both idiots and unfit to be parents.
There’s no way to make up for it.
But so what do we do now? Give up?
That’s the one thing I couldn’t do.
Even if Earth doesn’t recognize us as parents anymore…
“Finally… we arrived. So this is Cacretale.”
“Yes.”
With these thoughts in mind, Mamu and I finally reached the shoreline of Cacretale.
I’ve been to various countries so far, but this was my first time landing here.
There were no buildings or people on the beach, but the first thing that caught my attention was…
“It’s so devastated.”
“Yes. It’s like something fought… and was destroyed.”
Desolate coastlines and vegetation. It wasn’t like that originally, and it was obviously broken by someone’s hand, it was rough, and there were holes everywhere.
As if there was a fierce battle…
“There’s some residual magic, and it’s a rather large one.”
“Maybe there is a living area over there…
“What’s going on? For now… I don’t feel like they’re fighting, but…”
“And…”
There was a civil war for a while, and there was information that it ended recently, but it seems that something has happened in the past few days.
And…..
“That’s a lot of people, huh.”
“Yeah. That’s right…”
The glances and the signs of people looking our way. Their power may not be that big a deal, but they’re clearly wary of us.
Well, from their point of view, we may be intruders, and I suppose it’s natural.
Now …… we may manage to pose as harmless drifters and get some information…
“Who are you people? What are you doing in this country?”
But before we could say anything, the people who were hiding appeared.
Dozens appeared in a swarm, some young, some old, and some women who appeared to be sisters.
They were all hostile, pointing to us with brooms, axes, kitchen knives, and other everyday items as weapons.
But none of them look like warriors or soldiers of this country, but civilians.
“This country does not tolerate unauthorized entry from the outside!”
And, a man talked to us as their representative. Still a kid? Is he about Earth’s age?
“Oraa! If you attack this country, we’ll show you no mercy!”
“This country, is ours to protect!”
“Um, please don’t be a dangerous person…”
They all set themselves up for us, but they don’t have much strength… but, “these four” brothers… they seemed to be training a little bit…
“H, hey…. Mortriage … they don’t look like bad people, but… what do you think?”
“I don’t know, but now without the High Priestess or Goddess… and the country is in this situation… we can’t just let outsiders in without permission.”
For the time being, neither I nor Mamu carried any visible weapons. We were ready to take them out at any time, though.
That’s why we don’t give off the vibe of pirates or some other country that has come to attack, so the people who surrounded us seemed a little confused.
The sisters and the elderly were consulting with young people as if they were a little troubled.
And then……
“Oraa! You don’t know if it’s an enemy or not, right? Maybe they are trying to catch us off guard! After all, those Seraphs messed up our country like that! I won’t let that happen again!”
And the brawny brother violently raised a loud voice, but what he said was quite righteous.
I knew something was up. Does it have anything to do with the barrier coming down?
Even so, Seraphs…
“At least we can’t let anyone in now! I promised Earth! He said he’d leave it to us while he was away! That’s why we’re going to protect this country while they’re gone!”
Seraphs? Don’t tell me it’s Jamdi’el… huh?
“H, hey, Hiro… he…… just now…”
“Yes.”
For a moment I thought I had misheard him, but there was no mistaking it.
He just said “Earth”.
“Wait wait, hey, you!”
“Ora, what!”
“That, now, you just said Earth… as in Earth Lagann!?”
“Wha… eh you… how the hell do you know our friend …… Earth!”
At that moment, not only the energetic fellows, but also other people and sister-like women looked surprised.
And, friend?
“Mamu!”
“Yes, I knew it… I knew it, Earth is here!”
After all, there was no doubt. Earth is in this country.
I was so happy that I almost cried, and Mamu and I shouted with that feeling in our heart.
“I’m Hiro Lagann! Earth’s father!”
“I’m Mamu Lagann! Earth’s mother!”
What right did we have to say that? But we had no choice but to shout that.
“”””Eeehh!!??””””
Even if Earth doesn’t accept us…
“”””There is no way that’s true?””””
“”…… Eh?””
But, I didn’t think that we wouldn’t be accepted even by the people I met for the first time.
They looked astonished at what we said, and immediately shouted that…
“How the heck are you Earth’s father and mother? He’s the same age as us!”
“Then how could his parents be that young!”
“Earth’s parents? That man’s parents are still…can’t be.”
“I mean, that girl… isn’t she younger than us?”
“That’s right! You’re much better off claiming to be Earth’s sister!”
“I won’t be fooled by such an obvious lie!?”
At that moment, Mamu and I were stunned and smiled bitterly.
Because in the Imperial City, there was no one who didn’t know us as parents and child, so I’ve never been told that we don’t look like parents and child.
“Oh… ahahaha, I wonder why I still look so young? Well, I’m an eternal teen?”
“Well… your bust hasn’t changed for more than a decade…”
“Hmm!? Hey, when I gave birth to Earth, they swelled up a little!”
“But they deflated quickly… no, when Earth was a baby, you were always crying about it… and your breasts were overtaken by Sadiz when she was about ten years old―――”
“Shut up, you idiot!”
Anyway, it took me a while to get people to believe me and Mamu.
Author’s Note
Well, the city was shining yesterday. Yes, December 24th was the historic day when Apollo 8 flew around the moon for the first time in the world, and broadcast the image of the moon live to Earth. I suppose everyone was excited to remember that day forever. Yesterday I was celebrating such a historic day by biting on fried chicken alone at home.
And today, when I woke up, fried chicken bones and an empty beer can were lying on my bedside…
Oh, illustrations of the parents and Sadiz… Ph…… Phi? Phia… the princess has already been published, and I will put it here. Scroll down.
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